Firebird
by Slayer-ONE
Summary: Qrow and Taiyang are bros, nothing more. QrowxTaiyang no longer endgame.
1. Chapter 1

Taiyang sat on his bed for ages, contemplating where he was in life and how he had gotten to where he was. He thought about all the ups and downs that life had thrown at him since his first love and how throughout his strife one person was always there for him. Finally Taiyang stood from his bed and smiled to himself before getting ready for the day. Once he was ready, both physically and mentally, the father of two hurried to his motorcycle and started the engine before the bearded blonde man rode to his destination, Signal Academy.

-

"Taiyang! It's great to see you. I thought you were taking this week off? I just finished going over your lesson plans so that I could properly continue your class." The headmaster tells his colleague.

"Actually Qrow, this is something else I'd like to talk to you about." Taiyang informs Qrow, the brother of Taiyang's first love. Qrow frowned a bit before he waved his hand to the chair in front of the desk, asking Taiyang to take a seat with a motion. Taiyang took the offered respite gratefully and sat.

"So what is it you want to talk about?" Qrow asked, expecting a serious discussion.

"It's...rather complicated." Taiyang hesitated, something that only caused Qrow to watch him with worry in his eyes.

"Is everything okay at home Taiyang?" The headmaster asked as he tried to find the topic that his friend was so nervous to broach.

"Well yes...yes everything is quite fine...it's a bit lonely though." Taiyang muttered the last sentence but Qrow's face lit up in understanding. A blush warmed his cheeks at what Taiyang was suggesting.

"I um...and...what do you expect me to do?" Qrow asked for confirmation, not wanting to jump to a conclusion and hurt his friend's feelings.

"Well, I was wondering if you would like to go out at some point. Just the two of us." The blond proposed with a small, hopeful smile.

"Taiyang...you're...you're like a brother to me. It'd just be awkward." Qrow eased out, not wanting to hurt Taiyang's feelings but feeling terrible as he watches the hope fade from Taiyang's eyes and the smile fall from his face.

"Oh, yes...of course...I-"

"Okay, okay. One..." Qrow struggled with the word. "One date." He said finally, smiling to himself as he sees Taiyang's gaze light up and the smile return.

"Thank you Qrow." Taiyang smiled. "I won't waste this opportunity."


	2. Chapter 2

Taiyang smiled to himself as he pulled up in Qrow's drive way. He got off his motorcycle and slowly walked up to the door to the old house. _I have such déjà vu of when I came here to pick up…._ Taiyang thought to himself with a frown. Taiyang sighs at the memory before he knocked on the door with a frown. When the door opened and Taiyang sees his date for the night a smile is instantly brought to his face.

"Oh….am I over dressed?" Qrow asked nervously, still uncertain about this night as a whole but wanting to at least help Taiyang. The black long sleeve button up shirt and black slacks Qrow wore matched with the more casual button up polo and pants that Taiyang had on.

"No no, you're fine." Taiyang reassured him as Qrow stood there. The two men smiled at one another as the silence slowly became more awkward. "So, are you ready to go?"

"Hm? Oh, yes I'm ready." Qrow replied with a short nod. The two men climbed aboard Taiyang's motorcycle and Taiyang started the engine quickly once both were on. Taiyang drove swiftly, possibly broke several speed limits by doing so, and soon pulled into the parking lot of an old diner. Taiyang hopped off his bike and Qrow followed suit as the two walked up to the diner. "So how'd you find this place?" Qrow questioned tentatively, Taiyang's past known to be a risky subject.

"How did I….? Oh, I….this is actually the first place I took Summer to. Yang, Ruby, and I come down here every so often to have dinner." Taiyang answers with a small smile at the memories.

"Ah." Qrow let out, a small sound of understanding. The pair entered the restaurant and took seats quickly in a booth. Their orders were soon taken and they filled the time waiting with conversation. "So, how's that dog I gave you?"

"Zwei? Oh he's fine. The girls adore him. Thank you for giving him to us."

"It's not a problem. He was going to a shelter anyways so why not give him to you." Qrow smiled at Taiyang.

"It really has been helpful having him around." Taiyang told him appreciatively.

"I'm happy to hear that. So how have the girls been at home? I haven't stopped by in several weeks. Is everything alright?" Qrow asked as the food arrived, the two meals being sat in front of them.

"Uh….yeah, everything's fine." Taiyang said before he began to eat his food, avoiding any excess questioning.

"I….see…." Qrow replied uncertainly. "Taiyang….who….who IS watching the girls tonight?" Silence was Qrow's only answer for quite some time before Taiyang finished chewing the large bite.

"Yang is." He quickly answered.

"Yang….is..." Qrow said, the question clear in his tone yet Taiyang didn't correct him. "Why are they alone with Yang watching Ruby?"

"It's….a common occurrence…." Taiyang told him. "She takes care of most things around the house, including Ruby."

"I see…." Qrow replied. "What does Yang do exactly?" He asked.

"Yang cooks, cleans, takes care of the garden, and takes care of her sister."

"And….what do you do?" Qrow wondered aloud, something that elected a frown from Taiyang.

"I do my job, pay the bills, and take care of Zwei." Taiyang retorted back. His date for the night only slowly nodded and the rest of dinner was eaten in rather awkward silence. Finally they finished dinner and were left sitting with one another. "I'm sorry….I suppose I haven't been the best father to Yang and Ruby….have I?"

"No, no you have not." Qrow replied simply which left Taiyang to bow his head in shame. "But it's never too late to be there for them now." He smiled at Taiyang, trying to get the other man to smile once more.

"It's been this way for years. How am I supposed to just pop back into their lives and try and ask for control that I've clearly given up long ago? Why should they even trust me if I ask them to?" He said to no one in particular, wallowing in his own self-pity.

"They'll trust you because you're their father. You know you've made a mistake and you want to fix it, that should be enough. Besides, you'll have me helping." Qrow reassured him. Taiyang glanced up at Qrow, a hopeful smile on his face.

"Does that mean….?" His question trailed off.

"It means maybe. Let's get your kids the dad they deserve before anything else." Qrow stated to his date, a smile hanging on his lips as Taiyang smiled back.

"Yes, of course." The father replied. The two paid for their dinner, Taiyang covered the entire bill and refused Qrow's attempts at paying, and got on the black and red motorcycle.

"And next time, I'm choosing where we go." Qrow said before Taiyang started the engine once more.


End file.
